In 2014, there were more than 10 major armed conflicts in the world. Some of them can be seen in Google Earth images. Perhaps the most interesting for us are the pictures, which can be used to judge the scope of hostilities in the south-east of Ukraine.
As you know, most of the population of the eastern regions of Ukraine did not support the coup that took place in Kiev in early 2014. Opponents of "Euromaidan" in this region put forward the slogan of federalization of Ukraine and the requirement to preserve the official status of the Russian language. The new Ukrainian authorities, in turn, declared the wave of protests in the southeast as a manifestation of separatism and a threat to the existence of the Ukrainian state. The beginning of the civil war in Ukraine can be considered on April 13, 2014, when the Ukrainian leadership announced the decision to start anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine with the involvement of the armed forces.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Ukrainian combat helicopters at the airfield near Kramatorsk
Until the end of April 2014, the confrontation between supporters of federalization and Ukrainian security forces was limited to periodic clashes, raids and attacks on checkpoints using small arms. Gradually, the Ukrainian armed group was reinforced with armored vehicles, helicopters, artillery shelling and aerial bombing of settlements not controlled by the Ukrainian military began.
To suppress the actions of the Ukrainian aviation, supporters of independence tried to take control of the airfields occupied by the Ukrainian military.
At the end of May 2014, battles began for the Donetsk airport. As a result of months of hostilities, the buildings and structures of the airport were completely destroyed, however, in the photographs taken in the summer-autumn of 2014, one can see relatively minor damage to the building of the new terminal, which occurred on May 26-27 as a result of the strike on it by Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft and Mi-helicopters. 24.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the building of the new terminal at the Donetsk airport as of September 2014
Satellite image of Google Earth: Yak-40, burned down in a parking lot at Donetsk airport
In addition, the forces of the DPR and LPR defeated several air traffic control and air traffic control points. So, on the morning of May 6, 2014, as a result of an attack on a radio engineering unit in the Luhansk region, a radar station was destroyed. RTV suffered the next losses on June 21, 2014, when, as a result of mortar shelling, the radar stations of the air defense military unit in Avdiivka were destroyed.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed positions of Ukrainian radar stations in the Avdiivka area
Ukrainian air strikes from the ground were answered with fire from anti-aircraft installations and MANPADS. In addition to repelling air raids, the servicemen of the DPR and LPR actively obstructed the conduct of aerial reconnaissance and the transfer of Ukrainian military equipment and personnel by air.
Satellite image of Google Earth: crash site of the downed Ukrainian Il-76MD
On June 14, 2014, at about 2 am near Lugansk, the Ukrainian military-technical cooperation Il-76MD was shot down by two MANPADS missiles. The plane flew at an altitude of about 700 meters without firing heat traps. Onboard there were 56 people + 10 crew members, 3 BMD-2, a battery of 120-mm mortars. The plane crashed about 5 km east of the Lugansk airport runway and 2 km northwest of the village of Krasnoe. Everyone on board died.
In total, the Ukrainian Air Force lost more than 20 aircraft in the conflict in the east of the country, which, combined with the deplorable state of the remaining aircraft, led to the abandonment of the use of aircraft in hostilities. In the future, the Ukrainian military relied on large-caliber artillery and MLRS, which were actively used to strike at settlements beyond the control of the Ukrainian authorities.
Satellite image of Google Earth: houses destroyed by shelling in the village of Stepanovka, Donetsk region, Ukraine
In mid-June 2014, fierce fighting began in the Saur-Mogila area. The strategic importance of the height is due to the fact that it rises above the adjacent steppe areas, allowing you to control a large section of the border between Ukraine and Russia. From the top of the mound, an area with a radius of 30-40 kilometers is visible.
During the fighting, the memorial complex dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who died here during the Great Patriotic War was seriously damaged. On August 10, the figure of a soldier collapsed, its fragments were scattered. The pylons and bas-reliefs were badly damaged, as well as the obelisk itself, which received a number of through holes. On August 21, due to continued shelling, the obelisk collapsed.
Repeatedly dominating the terrain, the height passed from hand to hand. Both opposing sides suffered serious losses in the area. In July 2014, during the ongoing blocking of the security forces in the Izvarinsky Cauldron, DPR fighters shot down two Su-25 of the Ukrainian Air Force.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Saur-Mogila
At the end of August 2014, DPR fighters fully regained control over the area. Ukrainian troops numbering about 4,000 people retreated and found themselves surrounded in the "Amvrosievskiy cauldron". The occupation of the height allowed the DPR troops to reach the Sea of Azov and take control of Novoazovsk with the adjacent 40-kilometer section of the Azov coast.
On July 11, 2014, near the village of Zelenopolye (17 kilometers southeast of the city of Rovenka, Luhansk region), a convoy of military equipment of the 79th OAEMBR and the 24th OMBR of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was "covered" from the MLRS "Grad". According to the official data of the Kiev authorities, 19 servicemen were killed, 93 more were wounded of varying severity, however, according to the testimony of the soldiers of the 79th brigade who survived the Grad strike, the number of deaths was many times greater.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed Ukrainian equipment in the Zelenopol region
On July 17, 2014, near the village of Grabovo, Shakhtyorskiy district, Donetsk region, a Boeing-777 passenger airliner of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), performing a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the crash site of the Boeing 777 of Malaysia Airlines near the village of Grabovo
The governments of Ukraine and a number of Western countries hastened to blame Russia for what happened, but no serious evidence of this has yet been provided. Moreover, the investigation of the plane crash, which claimed the lives of 283 passengers and 15 crew members, is dragging on.
The civil war continues in Syria. In 2014, there was a significant strengthening of the positions of the radical Islamic group "Islamic State" in this country, its militants seized several large cities in eastern Syria. Military bases and airfields are also attacked by militants.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed equipment at the Hama airfield
Fighting continues for control of Damascus, Homs and Aleppo.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed buildings in the suburbs of Damascus
However, the Syrian armed forces do not surrender and continue to fight. The Syrian Air Force, despite the losses, is still combat-ready and continues to deter the militants by bombing and assault strikes.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Syrian MiG-29s at the Saigal airfield in the vicinity of Damascus
After the overthrow and assassination of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, the country continues to be torn apart by various armed groups. The arena of armed clashes remains the capital of Tripoli. The Dawn of Libya rebels, who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, then seized control of the capital, Tripoli, expelling the official government. As a result, there are actually two governments and two parliaments in Libya - the internationally recognized cabinet of government is in Tobruk, and the Islamist leadership is in Tripoli. Now the groups claiming power in the country are waging a fierce struggle for oil resources.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed hangars in Tripoli
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed buildings on the territory of a military base in Tripoli
During the fierce fighting for the Tripoli airport between the Zintana Brigade, supporting the disgraced General Khalifa Haftar, and Islamist militias trying to recapture its transport hub, several aircraft were destroyed. Also, a lot of damage was done to the transport infrastructure, the airport runway was seriously damaged, tanks with aviation fuel were set on fire.
Satellite image of Google Earth: burning aircraft and buildings at Tripoli airport
Satellite image of Google Earth: passenger airliners Bombardier CRJ-900 and A320 destroyed by shelling at Tripoli airport
The military airfield Al-Jufra in the vicinity of Tripoli is under the control of the Islamist group "Dawn of Libya". Earlier in a number of media there were reports of attempts to repair and commission the MiG-25 and MiG-23 fighters available at this airbase, which is confirmed by satellite images.
Satellite image of Google Earth: MiG-25 and MiG-23 fighters at Al-Jufra airbase
Apart from Tripoli, fighting continues in other parts of Libya. After the June 2014 Islamist attack on a military base in Benghazi, the bodies of more than 80 government troops were found.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the territory of a military base in Benghazi after an Islamist attack
Also, Libyan facilities for the extraction, processing and transportation of oil and oil products are subjected to regular attacks and shelling. On December 25, 2014, as a result of a rocket hitting one of the oil tanks at the Es-Sidr oil terminal, a huge fire began.
Google Earth Satellite Image: Burnt Oil Storage Facilities at Es Sidr Terminal
The Libyan government had to conclude a $ 6 million contract with an American fire company to help extinguish a fire at an oil terminal in the Libyan port of Es Sidr.
In 2014, the situation in Yemen escalated. After the Houthi rebels occupied the presidential palace in Sana'a, Saudi Arabia intervened in an attempt to prevent Iranian positions. In addition to the Saudi Air Force, combat aircraft from Egypt, Morroco, Jordan, Sudan, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain took part in the strikes.
Satellite image of Google Earth: destroyed buildings at Sana'a airport
In total, the Air Force of the "Arabian Coalition" inflicted 3125 strikes on ground targets. Of these targets, only 137 were military targets. Among civilian objects, 26 industrial enterprises, 31 shopping centers, 23 schools, 21 mosques, 9 hospitals, 7 stadiums, 5 power plants were destroyed. The greatest damage was done to infrastructure and residential areas. As a result of a direct hit, 480 houses and 51 state institutions were destroyed, and only 7000 buildings were damaged. The number of civilians killed and wounded was 4560 people, among the military - 368. The damage caused to Yemen by the coalition raids exceeded $ 32 billion.
